Review: Pastariso Instant Macaroni & Cheese

Once I found out that there was a gluten-free version of “Easy Mac”, I had the urge to run out to try & find some. I am not quite sure what was so compelling about it, as I was not a fan of Easy Mac in my pre-gluten-free days. I had heard that it was very good, so perhaps I had to see for myself. Until the other day, I had been unable to find the instant macaroni & cheese locally. I was able to find it on Amazon.com, but it was only available to buy by the case (6 per case). I don’t mind purchasing food by the case if I know that I like something, but I was uneasy about doing so for a food that I had not tried yet.

Pastariso has been making gluten-free pasta for a while now. They make several different varieties, including brown rice and potato pasta, but the Instant Brown Rice Mac & Cheese Meal is relatively new. The new mac & cheese meal is free of soy, eggs & nuts in addition to gluten. It is also certified gluten-free, which makes everyone feel safer when choosing to eat this food. The ingredients are non-GMO and each bowl/serving contains 3 grams of fiber.

Jon came downstairs the other day after we had just finished up cleaning up lunch dishes. He was hungry all of a sudden and asked us to make him lunch. I suggested he make the instant mac & cheese since it was simple & should be no trouble for him to accomplish. The instructions are simple – fill the container with water up to the line & cook in the microwave for 3.5 minutes. There is still water visible after cooking, but it does absorb, so do not drain it.

Jon thought the mac & cheese meal was too cheesy; I really liked it and thought it was much better than the Kraft Easy Mac that I remember; Aaron thought it wasn’t cheesy enough. Bottom line is that this meal is portable, quick and easy for anyone to make virtually any place. These can be packed in a suitcase or kept in your car for trips and “cooked” in a microwave in a hotel room or even a convenience store.

This product can be ordered online or found in stores close to you. If you can’t find it at your local store, consider asking the store manager to order it in or to start to carrying it.

Have you tried Pastariso Instant Brown Rice Mac & Cheese Meal? If so, what did you think?

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Kimberly Bouldin is a gluten-free wife, runner & blogger with two children in Columbus, Ohio. After her celiac diagnosis in 2006, she has made it her mission to embrace an entirely new approach to nutrition in a gluten-free world, exploring options that run the gamut from "made from scratch" homemade bread to sampling and reviewing the gluten-free prepared foods that are continuously being introduced to the market. While navigating the waters of becoming gluten-free, Kim shares her experiences and passes along valuable product reviews in addition to helping other moms of celiac kids develop healthy menus that are kid-friendly and palatable. Kimberly is a valuable resource for those who are newly diagnosed, as well as for the more seasoned gluten-free veterans. Follow Kim on Twitter!

hey kim! i finally tried the Annie’s easy mac! the first time, i felt like it didn’t have enough flavor. so the second time, i followed their instructions for ‘creamier mac ‘n cheese’. i simply added 1 tbsp of milk once i had stirred the powder into the cooked noodles & water. MUCH better! it was quite tasty!